Author Archives: John Swinburn

About John Swinburn

"Love not what you are but what you may become."― Miguel de Cervantes

I Think I’m Losing the Battle for My Soul

Posted on January 3, 2020 by John Swinburn

I don’t pretend to be an expert in geopolitical intrigue. And I don’t want to be. But I wish the United States government had listened to me after 9/11 and had decided not to invade Iraq under false pretenses. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger | 2 Comments

Mind-Jaunts on the Second Day of the Two Thousand Twentieth Year

Posted on January 2, 2020 by John Swinburn

Every day is an anomaly. A mistake. An error awaiting correction. An aberration requiring repair and embarrassed explanation. A deviant eccentricity causing constant adjustments to the concept of normal. There is no normal. Normal is a fantasy based in delusion. … Continue reading →

Posted in Stream of Consciousness | Leave a comment

Beginning Anew

Posted on January 1, 2020 by John Swinburn

My temporary break from posting to my blog ends with this post. Between December 18, my last post, and this one, I’ve written twenty “drafts” that could have become posts had I chosen to make them public. And they might … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

My Final Post for A While

Posted on December 18, 2019 by John Swinburn

This may be my last public post for a while. That doesn’t mean I won’t write, only that I won’t necessarily share what I’ve written. Considering the extremely low traffic to my blog and the almost non-existent feedback I receive … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Trampling Cultures in the Name of Temporary Pecuniary Joy

Posted on December 18, 2019 by John Swinburn

I read an article this morning about the impending demolition of the last remaining structures in what once was Dallas’ “Little Mexico” neighborhood, an area its residents called “La Colonia.” At its peak, 15,000 people lived in the area. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Witchcraft

Posted on December 17, 2019 by John Swinburn

I awoke to witchcraft this morning. I witnessed the effects of heat traveling through wires protruding from wounds in the wall. The heat caused water to boil and chickens’ eggs to congeal and harden in response. Heat from another source, … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Thinking | Leave a comment

Hush

Posted on December 17, 2019 by John Swinburn

I am a dormant volcano. A raging inferno whose fuel, spent in spectacular displays of fire and molten rock, has disappeared into the center of the Earth. I may be, in fact, an extinct volcano, one with no recorded eruption in … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Leave a comment

Someone Else Thinks Inside My Head

Posted on December 16, 2019 by John Swinburn

Several of his friends regularly commented about Skyler’s writing, frequently expressing amazement at how vividly his words painted his characters’ thoughts and physical surroundings. “It’s as if you were there, behind his eyes, recording every detail,” Ophira O’Malley said to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Leave a comment

Modesty or Something Like It

Posted on December 15, 2019 by John Swinburn

Am I being modest when I insist on wearing a shirt to the door when I answer a knock? Or is the issue really embarrassment at my physical appearance? I suppose I could try to imagine that I inhabit a … Continue reading →

Posted in Essay, Nudity, Philosophy | Leave a comment

Memories of Physical and Emotional Pain

Posted on December 14, 2019 by John Swinburn

I once was referred to a neurological specialist who, the referring specialist doctor said, would attempt to “replicate the pain” I had earlier felt in my neck and shoulder. Instantly, I decided against accepting the referral because I did not … Continue reading →

Posted in Emotion, Memories, Pain | Leave a comment

The Attractive Discomfort of Gatherings

Posted on December 13, 2019 by John Swinburn

I can’t seem to get my mind off Thanksgiving. We had planned on inviting my sister-in-law over for a non-traditional meal of some sort or, maybe, a restaurant meal with a non-traditional menu. But that went south when we learned … Continue reading →

Posted in Thanksgiving | Leave a comment

Transition to Acceptance

Posted on December 12, 2019 by John Swinburn

The sky is turning bright pink in the east. Earlier, it was orange and the trees against the horizon looked black, as if they were shadows. The day broke in beautiful form. But then I made the mistake of opening … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Anger, Self-discipline, Serenity, Wabi sabi | Leave a comment

Molly Ivins Documentary

Posted on December 11, 2019 by John Swinburn

Last night, we had dinner with a friend. She served us wonderful chili and treated us to a documentary about Molly Ivins entitled, Raise Hell: The Life And Times Of Molly Ivins.  I have been a Molly Ivins fan for … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Politics | Leave a comment

Elbow

Posted on December 10, 2019 by John Swinburn

Elbow McMaster stood facing the front door, poised to spring upon the woman the moment she entered. His eyes, fixed on the peephole well above his eye level, noticed a momentary interruption in the light on the tiny circular glass … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Writing | 4 Comments

Writing Like a Curative Drug

Posted on December 10, 2019 by John Swinburn

I once wrote, during a period of personal introspection and social observation, Writing is like a drug; it can be a cure or an addiction. A lot was missing in that simple statement. One missing piece concealed the danger of … Continue reading →

Posted in Lies/disinformation, Poetry, Politics, Writing | Leave a comment

Commitment

Posted on December 9, 2019 by John Swinburn

From time to time, I am surprised by the source of my own questions. This morning, for example, I asked (through Google) how Mexican per capita household annual income compares to that figure in the United States. I would not … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Poverty, Rant | Leave a comment

Transformative Places

Posted on December 8, 2019 by John Swinburn

Wherever we go, when we settle in we take on attributes caused by the place. We change, at least a little, to reflect the way a place we live changes us. And often, maybe usually, we don’t recognize the change … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Essay, Philosophy | Leave a comment

What Once was Vibrant

Posted on December 7, 2019 by John Swinburn

For the only time I can remember, this morning I pondered about how my emotions may have changed during the course of my sixty-six years. A piece of semi-autobiographical fiction (is that even a realistic category?) I began writing last … Continue reading →

Posted in Emotion | Leave a comment

The New Realm

Posted on December 6, 2019 by John Swinburn

“Lance, would you please get the ax for me? It’s getting close to dinnertime and I need to get Little Johnny ready for the roaster.” Lance looked up from his crossword. “All right, Suzanne, just let me finish this last … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Leave a comment

A Nonfictional Account of a Wednesday

Posted on December 5, 2019 by John Swinburn

Yesterday’s productivity exceeded most days’ output, but only because we forced ourselves to visit Lowe’s with the aim of buying a replacement stovetop-oven combo. We managed to select one to put on order, but first we will have an installer … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mental Health and Healing

Posted on December 4, 2019 by John Swinburn

When my creativity wanes, as it has of late, I notice gaping holes in my imagination. I suppose those are synonymous. What I notice more acutely is that there’s a very strong correlation between my creativity and my sense of … Continue reading →

Posted in Depression, Emotion | Leave a comment

Listen

Posted on December 3, 2019 by John Swinburn

Listen to the sky. That’s not the sky, it’s an echo of your emptiness. Listen to the horizon. That’s not the horizon, it’s a sigh of hope. Listen to the river. That’s not the river, its a murmur of possibility. … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Leave a comment

The Core Within and Other Matters

Posted on December 2, 2019 by John Swinburn

I wish more people would read and listen to poetry. I wish they wouldn’t dismiss it as linguistic egotism. I wish they would try to listen to it without judgement and disdain. Instead, I wish they would try to hear … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Leave a comment

Recalling Darkness

Posted on December 1, 2019 by John Swinburn

Two years ago today, I wrote a post on Facebook that, in both immediate and distant hindsight, I realize did not belong on Facebook. But at least Facebook reminded me it is still there. It may not have belonged anywhere. … Continue reading →

Posted in Compassion, Depression | Leave a comment

Entanglements

Posted on November 30, 2019 by John Swinburn

My thoughts this morning comprise a jumble of unrelated and incomplete ideas that careen through my mind as if they were running from something dangerous. They stumble and fall and bounce off the inside of my head as they flee … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Leave a comment